Vikings: Even Christian Ponder said 'Ugh' watching Game 1 loss

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, right, tries to cheer up quarterback Christian Ponder after a botched hand-off attempt in the third quarter against the Lions. (Pioneer Press: Chris Polydoroff)

While teammates closed ranks around Christian Ponder on Wednesday, the Vikings quarterback performed damage control by insisting his familiar mistakes in a season-opening loss at Detroit were rectifiable.

Game film revealed shaky mechanics and suspect decisions that produced three interceptions, a fumbled handoff and a passing attack that couldn't stop the Lions from throwing a dragnet over running back Adrian Peterson.

Detroit dared Ponder to throw downfield, and the Lions won 34-24.

It was a sobering start to a week in which Minnesota prepares for another NFC North road game, this time at Chicago, where the Vikings have lost 11 of their past 12 to the Bears (1-0).

Ponder said reliving Sunday's loss was required medicine and a valuable experience in his progression as an NFL starter.

"Sunday night you get that bad feeling. Monday morning as you head into the film room you get that bad feeling," he explained Wednesday. "And as you watch the game, you're like, 'Ugh, that's just something that was dumb, that just could easily have happened.'

"As you watch it, it's a bad taste in your mouth, and at the same time it gives you confidence because these things are easily correctable."

Despite guiding the Vikings to four straight wins in December to clinch a playoff berth last season, Ponder faces fresh criticism about his ability to command an offense, especially after Detroit stymied Peterson following his 78-yard touchdown run on Minnesota's first play from scrimmage.

A revamped receiving corps and the reigning MVP in the backfield did not ease the pressure on Ponder, whose 63.1 passer rating after Week 1 is the third-worst among starters behind Cleveland's Brandon Weeden (48.4) and Blaine Gabbert of Jacksonville (30.8).

"We need consistent, good quarterback play in order for our offense to thrive and for our team to be successful," coach Leslie Frazier said. "Christian knows that as well as anybody. There are certain things we can't do.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder walks toward the locker room at the end of the game at Ford Field in Detroit. (Pioneer Press: Chris Polydoroff)

Our margin (for) error is small. So if we're turning the ball over, it just shrinks our opportunities to win."

Ponder's second interception was the most destructive.

With the Vikings in field-goal range and leading 14-6 late in the second quarter, he was flushed left and struck by Ndamukong Suh as he attempted to throw out of bounds. The ball floated into the arms of linebacker Stephen Tulloch.

The Lions leveraged the turnover into a touchdown drive that cut Minnesota's lead to 14-13 at halftime.

"Got to have better awareness that a guy's bearing down on me," Ponder said. "My mind-set is it's first down, I don't want to take a sack, but hopefully won't give a turnover. Just eat it, take a sack and live to play another day."

There was plenty of blame to go around. Detroit's defensive front mauled and stunted its way through Minnesota's porous offensive line. Ponder was sacked three times and under pressure throughout the game. Defensively, the Vikings allowed 469 total yards and were caught flat-footed, unable to get off the field despite myriad mistakes by the Lions.

No matter.

The scrutiny on Ponder's potential to eliminate mistakes, exploit defenses and develop into the franchise's long-term quarterback has intensified just one week into the 2013 season.

"We're too good of a team to be making those mistakes," Ponder said. "We've got to establish the run better and can't turn the ball over. Detroit's a great defense, and they did a lot of great things. They're going to make plays. But a lot of it had to do with what we did to ourselves."

Veteran slot receiver Greg Jennings, who debuted in Minnesota with three catches for 33 yards, said Ponder responded with a strong practice Wednesday. He tried to shield his quarterback from condemnation by saying the team must take ownership for its collective mistakes.

"You say something to him, you say something to yourself and you say something to your entire team because it wasn't just him," Jennings said. "He can't win the game for us, and he can't just lose the game for us. Trust me. And that's the tough road he has.

"He doesn't bear the whole load. We're a team of 53. We bear the load."

"Christian's the starter, and hopefully he can build on a lot of positives he did last week," said Cassel, the former Kansas City No. 1 who signed a two-year contract with the Vikings this offseason. "My role right now is to continue to support him, continue to support our team, and hopefully we go to Chicago and get a win."

One glimmer of hope was the connection between Ponder and wide receiver Jerome Simpson, who caught seven passes for 140 yards. They hooked up for a 47-yard play down the middle of the field, which Simpson punctuated with a spectacular diving grab.

Despite good protection and single safety coverage, Ponder conceded he overthrew Simpson, who likely would have scored if he had been hit in stride.

"The whole year we're going to have defenses that dare us to throw the ball down the field," Ponder said. "As an offense, we have to beat man coverage with the receivers, and we have to have time to throw it down the field. We'll probably continue getting that until we make a play in the passing game."

Ponder faces a Bears team he defeated at the Metrodome last year to ignite the Vikings' playoff drive. He also is 0-2 at Soldier Field, where he launched his career in relief of Donovan McNabb during Week 6 of 2011.

First-year Chicago coach Marc Trestman has mentored a host of successful quarterbacks, from Bernie Kosar and Steve Young to Jake Plummer and Rich Gannon.

"To be able to slow things down and get it done, it's not easy to do," Trestman said Wednesday. "You've got to have the love for the game, the mental and physical toughness. There's an internal wiring with quarterbacks. They have a skill set that's unique, and very few people can do it.

"That's why it's probably the toughest athletic position to play in all of sports because it requires so much mental and physical tough and really neurological development to play in this league."